VIDEO: Billion Dollar Bonanza scratch ticket luckiest in the region

Robert Gatt and 21 other southeastern Massachusetts residents have claimed the big prizes on the Billion Dollar Bonanza scratch ticket, the most of any lottery game in the last five years in the region.

By Erin Shannon

The Enterprise, Brockton, MA

By Erin Shannon

Posted Feb. 21, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 21, 2013 at 9:11 PM

By Erin Shannon

Posted Feb. 21, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Feb 21, 2013 at 9:11 PM

ABINGTON

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As the man who sold a $10 million winning ticket in the Lottery’s Billion Dollar Bonanza game can attest, the game has been a particularly lucky one for local residents.

Since the Lottery launched it in 2008, two local residents have won $10 million each and 20 others have won $1 million prizes.

The latest local big winner: Eric Cherry of Milton, who won the $10 million prize this month. He’ll receive $330,000 a year, after taxes, for the next 20 years. He bought his ticket at a Tedeschi’s in Milton.

Robert Gatt plunked down $20 for a Billion Dollar Bonanza ticket at JD Variety in Abington in October 2008 – and won $10 million.

The owner of JD Variety, Jimmy Patel, said selling Gatt a $10 million winning ticket has been great for business.

“A lot of people keep coming in and say we are the luckiest store,” he said. “Selling a big winner helps a lot.”

As of this week, seven $10 million prizes had been claimed and 94 $1 million prizes.

More local residents have won big prizes playing Billion Dollar Bonanza than any other Lottery game in the last five years, according to agency records. “Players have been tremendously lucky with this game,” said Beth Bresnahan, a Lottery spokeswoman.

The 22 local big winners during the past five years have come from across the region, including Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Milton, Quincy, Randolph and Taunton.

Gatt has moved out of Abington since winning in 2008, according to town records. He declined to talk to The Enterprise about his win.

Patel said despite Gatt’s windfall, $5 scratch tickets are still the most popular at his store.

Dan McCarthy, 55, of Brockton, said he sticks with the $2 and $5 tickets.

“These games aren’t designed for me to win but maybe I’ll get luck someday,” said McCarthy, while scratching a Pot O’ Gold ticket at Montello News in Brockton recently.

The big prizes are the $1 million and $10 million winners but the Billion Dollar Bonanza ticket also offers 40 other prizes ranging from $10 to $50,000. And there are still winning tickets out there waiting to be claimed. In the case of Billion Dollar Bonanza, as of this week there were 59 of 160 major prizes yet to be claimed.